~Squid Game and The International Fascination with Class~

[@brunocar02]

Really good vid, but i just wanted to say that it weirded me out how you went out of your way to use the original language name for every single show instead of casa de papel, thats spanish, not portuguese, right? the clips you show have subtitles because its not dubbed to portuguese.

[@CheyenneLin]

Hi thanks! I realized afterwards that I should have pronounced the title in Spanish. It’s just that in Brazilian Portuguese the name isn’t translated to A Casa de Papel but is kept in Spanish as la casa de papel. I’m used to saying the name la casa de papel with a Portuguese pronunciation, but thanks for pointing that out

[@brunocar02]

@@CheyenneLin thank you for the fast answer, it only peeved me cause the english title of the show is so unbelievably bad lol

[@renrww6847]

@@CheyenneLin I mean as a spanish speaker I think we prefer a bad or ok pronunciation of La casa de papel rather than money heist lmao

[@Timercat123]

@@calitaliarepublic6753 I think she already anwsed your question. The title "la casa de papel" is not translate in Brasil and we also speak about this serie using the original title, so she probably just forgotten that in English the title is translated.

[@NaFran49]

@@calitaliarepublic6753 But you got your answer anyway!

[@TheStorytellerWolf]

I really wish a movie or show like these could come out of the Philippines. It’s ripe for it, and the Filipino experience can bring a unique perspective to both global capitalism and US imperialism.

[@thelastgreatpoet5219]

Communism/capitalism is the bloodiest way to go from capitalism to capitalism again - juri lana

[@superquietbunny]

it would be nice if it included whites/europeans/etc exploiting the filipino experience to make money (Nas Daily, US imperialism etc)

[@janaekelis]

yeah i think its understated how US imperialism has tainted the work world of other countries

[@thelastgreatpoet5219]

@@janaekelis i love how we diss us powers yet use their technology ideologies the ironies of life

[@infinite1483]

@@thelastgreatpoet5219 theres no irony

[@Someonefreshandclean]

The ending of squid games was interesting to me, where the old man actually died believing what he did was not evil. He designed the entire game and he gave them a chance after the first game to get out of there. In his own words, he gave them a choice. But of course, a lot of the people returned because they don't have any other way out. the old man believed that he did nothing wrong because he did not force them to be there. He felt like he provided them with a chance to win money and change their lives, where they themselves worked hard for it. he also truly believed that people are incapable of helping someone else hence why he made the bet that the homeless guy will die on his own without anyone helping him. he believed so many things about human beings that are their worst qualities. to him, it was fair how the game was set up because everyone got what they wanted. they gave their money for entertainment purposes and the winner got the money deserved by their own hard work. this entire thought process of having a choice in your own destiny is actually the American dream on crack. if you have ever listened to bill Oreilly rants about poor people he always gives the poor people the blame for their own poverty. there are a lot of people that see it as something on an individual level instead of the systemic problem set up by a very powerful class that wants to stay that way. the Panama papers prove that the rules that we have to abide by (paying taxes) only apply to the poor. This thought that we are as individuals responsible to everything that happens to us, you can see it in everything around us. companies don't take any responsibility for the things that they design that are addictive to human being (food, games, social media apps etc). they are addictive because they are designed that way.

[@din-chan305]

What buffles me is that the chance was given after over half of the people who started the game, died. How can one ever overlook that? Also, they did not play it out of boredom, but out of deepest despair. So to me the old man's reasoning is filled with crucial faults.

[@shadowofagod896]

This is well on point. The rich believe that they're giving the poor a 'chance' to become something of worth in life if offer their services in exchange for wealth, while simultaneously not caring about the struggles they have to take for that one 'chance'. Ultimately, the old man's view of what he did for Gihun falls short when he said that he earned the money through his hard work when ironically almost all the games are dependent on luck. If you were behind someone in red light green light, which shape you got in the honeycomb challenge, the marble game itself is either won by odds or deceit and what order you get in the glass game. He makes the argument that all were given a choice to participate when ironically, just how the video pointed out, everyone is only there because they have no choice. The game just like capitalism is only invested in the select few that make it out alive and do not care for the needs of everyone.

[@elizabethlee2136]

@@din-chan305 I mean is it really so different then school. The rosy idealism in setting all these childrens game... it makes me think its also making a commentary on school. No one knows what the world is really like. Like when Gihoon smacks his daughter step father. Or San Woo's mom is shamed by two police man. The false equality of relying solely on institutions is just as dangerous as this is a country that directly has felt the effects of communism for over 70 years. I don't think that the dehumanzing, efficiency centric and numeric way people think about society is from Capitalism alone. Because capitalist instincts have to be addressed in any formation of new governments. Its why pure capitalism fails... its why even Democratic Socialism has its foibles. In the end we have photogenic traditional victims like Sang Baek and Gi-Hoon, but people who lose their minds and souls... and eventually lives. Sang Woo makes a good heel... but what exactly did he do? His behavior was drastically altered and warped when exposed to a high stress situation, and after being beaten and kidnapped and forced into this competition. Would not only rather die then be poor... rather kill then be poor... but kill himself then allow the power structure to be subverted. And that was only the second time he tried to kill himself. Literally he sold his future as was the lame joke. He who had access to some chance of fixing his life. Who could afford a ramen and a new cell phone just to commit crimes. He paid for a strangers Busfare. I feel for Sang Woo. And hes such a nuanced character.

[@davidjones272]

@@elizabethlee2136 Sang woo was presented as a foil for Gi Hoon, he was the poor person from the same place who wanted to work with the system, rather than change it. His most important line was after he had crossed the bridge when he starts saying how he got where he was purely through his own hard work and failed to acknowledge the help others had given him. He is a representation of the social climber who gets some success, but puts it all down to individual factors and refuses to recognise the role of luck and society

[@Myaccount923]

@@din-chan305 exactly. That is commentary too… the first half of people did not get to know what was going on

[@arizvi6816]

I think it's easier for Westerners to look other countries confronting class issues because we can live vicariously through them without having to confront the class issues that plague us. Also loved the video, and enjoyed the new format!

[@williampan29]

I don't think Westerners are not confronting the class issues, consider no small amount of protests and clashes have happend in the past decade. It just that class issues are also mixed with race and gender as globalization progresses and America become more divided.

[@yamihere5569]

@@williampan29 yeah, plus it wasn't an overnight thing. This system was built on a long period of time and it's no easy feat to dysmantle it; especially as it is so intricately weaved into other, as toxic ones.

[@raymonds7492]

Certain countries have more ...flamboyant poverty that others.

[@Myaccount923]

This !! Literally. Wanna sit online and complain like y’all haven’t seen shit

[@riina___]

*America

[@brunawhite2686]

i have been seeing squid game be lowered to "violence p***" recently because people seem to be literally blind to the social commentary it's making. the whole gore and violence to me is not only a way to attract curious viewers, but also a graphic demonstration of how much the characters give up their humanity for the persuit of wealth. it's an incredible piece of media that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole entire time and i wish people were more open to it.

[@danielaardila5081]

its the same thing as to almost literally eliminate people that live in the street because ''it soesn't look good'' or ''it's too sad'', maybe its to avoid a reality and the reality of these games is that is violent because necessity and desperation can be very violent.

[@TheLily97232]

Fucking thank you. I don't understand the boner our world has for watching gruesome violence on the vulnerable. The social commentary sometimes seems like an excuse for them to enjoy it instead of engaging with the actual commentary

[@brunawhite2686]

@@TheLily97232 i think that the violence, as gruesome as it is, is important to the show. it's a beautifully crafted show and the repulsion definitely is intentional. it's supposed to put us in the shoes of the rich people who watch it for entertainment, as well as show in a very graphic way how the characters will do absolutely anything to win that money, even if it means witnessing a m**sacre.

[@GetOfflineGetGood]

It's wild that people miss that, the characters literally say that the game is just as bad as the outside world. They literally spell it out for you.

[@melitta222]

Imo it was honestly pretty tame. I don't know why people are comparing it to saw cos that's just no lol. Like not at all

[@Mokoniki]

I watched Squid Game because people wouldn't stop talking about it and I had no idea what it was. I normally tend to avoid watching things that get super popular because they "don't live up to the hype" but I'm glad I watched Squid Game. Tbh it was one of the saddest things I've watched in a while, but I enjoyed the moral food for thought. It was interesting to discuss this show with friends and see our different viewpoints about things. I felt that once almost everyone entered the games, everyone just became morally ambiguous. No one was really good or bad while in there. The only character I felt was truly bad was the gangster guy, but your video made me realize how it's entirely possible now his circumstances could have driven him to become that way. I even slightly hated Gihun because early on until more came out about his own circumstances and I regretted it. I found it hard to hate Sangwoo because even though he killed off one of my faves and acted so awful for the most part, he like most of them was just a product of his circumstances and he did what he had to do in that moment to succeed. I agree with you about the ending. I was like "just get on the plane Gihun, you already went through all this trauma don't do this again" but when he turned around, I felt a little proud of him in that moment. Yeah, he was leaving his daughter again, but even in that moment it felt to me like he grew a little. I knew he was going to do it and I felt it was his way of atoning for everything that he had done to get that point and to prevent others from doing the games too. He's going to dismantle the system that got him in that position to begin with. Would the Gihun who didn't go through the games and was a moocher and gambler have done that? Whether he will succeed remains to be seen. I enjoyed Squid Game precisely because it made me think and feel.

[@violetlavi2207]

Well, in regards to that ending...Gi-hun was being tracked. If he’d gotten on that plane, he would’ve been putting his daughter in danger. And as for Sang-woo...you can be a victim of a system and still contribute TO that system. He does some truly terrible things, and even the creators said they were trying to make him unlikeable. Fully agree on your other points though! I was hesitant to watch Squid Game for the same reason, and I was pleasantly surprised

[@slowfflepuff3911]

What I got from the ending is that just like you never choose to enter the game in the first place (you’re just a victim of it) you never really leave either. They keep track of your every mouvement because either you join the elite that participate in the game (by watching or organizing it like the black mask guy whose a previous winner) or if you try to talk youuuu…probably get killed I guess ? They also never leave the game because of their trauma, how do you heal a wound like that ? You can’t. That’s also probably why Gi hun chooses to go back.

[@TheLily97232]

Wow I hated Sang Woo more than the bad guy. He is a gangster so it's not surprising. But this man is the type of guy people admire and is seen as superior. He saw himself as superior, sold his own mother's belongings for what ? To live up to that superiority syndrom he gets from his degree. I agree with what Gihun told him at the end tbh

[@ironpulcinella3586]

YOU FELT BAD FOR THE WRONG PPL???? DAFUG ONLY ALI WAS THE PURE ONE HERE, EVERYONE ELSE IS STILL A PIECE OF SHI7

[@drawingsticks5333]

Same! I am one of these people who also thinks that Sangwoo was an antagonist but not a villain or evil because shit, do you know who was evil? The gangster guy who actively killed people for funsies! And even then, he was probably raised in that environment so really, what was gonna happen? I thought the interesting thing with Gi-Hun at the ending was that it became a case of "if not me, who?" which I thought was important in how Squid Game also criticizes being an observer - sit back and doing nothing is also a choice and it's not a good one.

[@rochellerodriguez6431]

I liked how you pointed out that the jobs that the Kims did for the Parks are demeaning in and of themselves but that how the Parks treated them was. I think it's so important to recognize the dignity and necessity of service jobs and how it is not the jobs themselves that always pose an issue but how society treats service workers. I worked as a nanny for a while and while I did like the actual work of my job, spending time with the kids, I ultimately quit because my boss treated me in a dismissive and demeaning way. It was so odd to me that she was trusting me with the most important thing in her life, her kids, and yet went out of her way to "other" me in front of them.

[@arianadeleon9805]

ppl like that look at others only on the measure of how useful they are to them, that scenario its just like when you have to eat certain things because they are beneficial to you, but you don’t like them. You are a necessary inconvenience to them, so its easy to see how they can treat you like shit but keep you around and “trust” you so they can get the benefits of it.

[@reneedennis2011]

@@arianadeleon9805 Good point.

[@sym2988]

I think you meant are not* demeaning?

[@dandeleon2764]

I may be wrong, but it sounds to me like your employer knew on some level, that the bonds you were building with her children were every bit as genuine as the bonds of a parent, and they were trying to make their children feel that you were not "real family". She was insecure about her place in her children's hearts, and felt threatened by you.

[@dianamiller3307]

Women who use nannies other them because they feel guilt and shame for being unable to care for their own children.

[@alexn.2901]

Remember the scene where Ji-yeong asked Sae-byeok whether or not North Korea was better than South Korea? Well, in South Korea, if she were to say "yes", the episode would have been censored since it's illegal to say anything positive about communism and the DPRK because of the National Security Act.

[@brunawhite2686]

I hadn't even thought about that! I'm glad they kept her silent to also keep it honest, but maybe she is not sure either. It feels like she just jumped from a dictatorship to another. In South Korea she has the prospect of getting a better life, but does she really? Can she even have freedom at all if she doesn't have money?

[@dn30001]

The 360 debt game is real. Lots of families will be broken up especially with all of this sports online gambling getting bigger. That being said, the metaphorical picture that was painted by the Koreans of modern Korean society in economics drove the point home for me. Especially the depiction of exploited foreign workers. I understand the laws protecting foreign workers in Korea does not protect them as strong. BTW...City Of God is probably my 4th fave movie of all time

[@andrewnprice]

It will be interesting to see with Korea. Both they and the Japanese have issues with their birth rates currently. The decline in births in Japan is in part the reason for their economic stagnation, and it will cause major issues for their older population since the load of their socialized systems is not distributed evenly. South Korea however is far worse and is going to see their population size contract massively ove the next few decades. This is one of the issues with so many women focusing on careers and entering into the workplace. It is a very simple concept but one many people don't think about, a woman needs to produce at least 2 children in her lifetime to maintain the current population level and essentially replace her and the father within the economic system. In cases where socialized methods are used, it will be the production of those children that will pay for their parents medical care and retirement. The fewer children today, the fewer workers in the future there will be for that load to be distributed across. Kind of separate but related to the whole capitalism argument, but very much will be something that you will see rise as an issue in the coming decades all across the world, but asian countries are specifically going to be hard hit by this because of how they have utilized their female populations for short-term economic growth. (I know that is kind of a cold stance, but I am looking at this from a purely economic and biological level; which does in the end ultimately impact an individuals level to pursue their interests, take care of their family, etc.)

[@stephanierodriguez3160]

@@andrewnprice tell me you are a man without telling me you are a men

[@andrewnprice]

@@stephanierodriguez3160 guilty as charged, doesn't make me wrong though. (The name did kind of give it away.) I did say it was a cold take the focused more on economics and biological purpose. However, I will also point out that the resulting impact is one that would/will disproportionately impact women, since I am fairly certain it is almost universal truth that they/you live longer.

[@paigekutz8539]

The part about how they shouldn't have to be perfect victims to still be seen with empathy or as fully human omg so accurate !! Great video.

[@MyssBlewm]

I found Joon-ho's story (the cop) to be my favorite because I went into the show thinking, "If this cop's story is going to be about how good cops are, I'm not going to like this show." Joon-ho's story carried enough mystery and tension and played out well alongside the rest of the show. It was so good, by the time the twist came and he gets shot, I KNEW what was coming and I originally didn't want the cliche "helicopters swoosh in and cop cars come blaring, Good Cop saves the day" I wanted Joon-ho to escape and have that Hollywood ending. 😭 He needed to go tell his mom what happened to his brother!! So it was perfect that it ended the way it did, anti-climatic and tragic with me screaming into my blanket. I also think it sends a pretty strong message about good intentions by competent people being a Herculean task that likely fails because the system is corrupt. I hope that makes sense 😭 I was so excited to see you cover Squid Game!!! Always amazing analysis and great writing!

[@sydneydunaway5618]

it's interesting to see how hunger games came out and the dystopian wave that followed failed to pick up on the most important aspect of that series--the critiques of capitalism and a global media landscape. I feel like that's a major reason that whole genre fell apart so fast. people took away the wrong things from it.

[@vgamer11]

I think a "happy medium" ending for Squid Game would have been that Gi Hun calls his daughter again letting her know he's boarding the plane, but that he'll only be visiting her for a few days due to a "new job" he just got. idk i just really wish that he kept his promise to his kid

[@danielaardila5081]

This series had really good timing on coming out, I live in Colombia a country that became a temporary trending on Twitter because protests were getting louder and louder, but that only worked for a time. Many people disappeared, were sexually abused, tortured, and killed in hands of the police, no one knows who specifically did it we only know it happened thanks to the government. Not only that but social classes here are getting to a very heated point, xenophobia is, unfortunately, a big thing due to a lot of Venezuelans coming to Colombia, for every young person (I'm 24) is getting harder and harder to study or work on something you want and if you want money to live you need to basically exploit yourself. With all this in mind and not knowing what Squid Game was about I watched it to understand the memes, I ended up watching the 9 episodes in one night, the more I watch this kind of media the more I realize that these movies or shows aren't made to rich people so they can think about it they are so out of touch with others people reality that the sang ''Imagine'' when people were dying, closing their businesses or living in the streets due to the virus, these shows, these media are made for people that can afford to watch it or download it and think about it because they, we, are closer to that reality than 3lon Musk or any celebrity in the entire world, we are the ones that have to ''unbrainwash'' each other, that's why parasite was so successful because it probably spoke to a lot of people in the world that went through a rough period of extreme poverty. Anyways, this videos explains it really well. Loved it :D

[@brunawhite2686]

I don't think Squid Game isn't made for the type of people it's portraying, it's obviously for the better off, at least middle class people who can afford a Netflix subscription (or at least have a device to watch the show from) and watch it in the comfort of their homes. I think that, to some extent at least, the show is putting us in the shoes of the rich men watching and funding the game. Even the gory parts, we are watching for entertainment, just like the billionaires watching. Even then, I don't think it's a "call to action" type show. it's more of a "are you really any better than them?" show, evindent by the revelation at the end, of a character who for me was a personal favorite and that seemed to be struggling like everyone else, turned out to be a billionaire himself. I really like this show because it's so much food for thought it's incredible.

[@tecpaocelotl]

Happy Indigenous People's Day. Cleo was an indigenous woman in Roma so the movie was also about racial issues.

[@fabiansaerve]

In La Casa de Papel the women who dies first is a Roma. A minority group in Europe.

[@CheyenneLin]

captions are now up! this is a bit different than what i normally do, but i just really felt like talking about Squid Game haha cant wait to read what you thought of it :D

[@danielaardila5081]

I could help you with subtitles in Spanish if you want :D

[@thelastgreatpoet5219]

Different perspective obsession with class is good and healthy pushing evolution and growth what's our obsession with remaining a child and playing games that should be question

[@yeahmyg]

the VIP’s acting was not the best, but im not particularly hung up on it. i was surprised to see that people were very critical of it. the people i saw who seemed upset at how they were portrayed were, you guessed it, white (lol) as someone who has watched other kdramas before this, this is just how white english speaking people often act in kdramas anyway so this was normal for me. but i could see how someone watching a korean show for the first time could over-think their portrayal

[@mekman4]

The West loves a good lie, especially if it keeps nations running around in circles. Socialism (or Anti-Capitalism) will continue to divide and end nations.

[@thelastgreatpoet5219]

@@mekman4 communism is the bloodiest way to go from capitalism to capitalism again - juri lina. We need to learn money and economics if we truly care about our liberties as well as heal future generations with better parenting that's empathic and caring or we going to create sadistic monsters hell bent on abusive love to heal the wound through brutality

[@tims5978]

it makes me really mad when i see ppl saying the characters in squid game are greedy for wanting the money 💀 THEYRE LITTERALY GONNA DIE EITHER WAY

[@fabiansaerve]

@Theren no public healthcare in Korea?

[@fabiansaerve]

@Theren no public healthcare in Korea?

[@LON009]

I finally finished watching it last night and loved every minute of it. Weird thing is, it was easy to remain unspoiled because everything I saw in social media about it was just focused on the aesthetics, the music and memes of the first two games. Nothing about its themes or capitalism, your video must be the first to discuss about it. Great and insightful commentary as usual.

[@TheLily97232]

So sad that we are there in a society where such an interesting show is boiled down into entertaining memes, death and violence and looks. That's depressing to me

[@LON009]

@@TheLily97232 Yes. That's what makes me wary of it getting another season. I don't want it turned into another franchise, with its central theme obscured by the aesthetics and plot and lore, what every other "analysis" video focus on.

[@stars_who_knows9254]

Looking at the director/writer's story, I don't think that will happen. I think he already had the script by 2009? He waited for years to bring his vision to life, he'd surely want to do it justice.

[@Aishyo]

There has been a lot more media about classis and capitalism coming out in recent years from all over I've noticed. But staying on South Korea there's even more examples like about the popular zombie movie train to busan, the prequel Seoul station there was this rush to see the zombies as violent homeless people. Then there's Netflix's Kingdom, so much to talk about there.

[@TheLily97232]

So true ! But that makes me wonder why and if that would really change people's mind ? I feel like it's more of an entertainment purpose and nothing else

[@amandalogan89]

Ooo Kingdom has been on my to watch list! Heard great things about it!

[@4minute60]

@@amandalogan89 You should watch it. 2 seasons, first is better then a little side story to go with it. So there's 3 parts. Season 3 might come next year.

[@bassjoonius]

to me, when i watch/read fictional works like squid game or hunger games, i still allow myself to enjoy it as a piece of fiction (bcs real world struggles is killing me enough), but i also think and reflect on their messages afterwards. as someone who's in the working class and struggling with unemployment, squid game really hits hard.

[@brunawhite2686]

I think media like this has to be popular from time to time to remind everyone that people in financial struggle are, again, people. As gruesome and sad and bleak as it is.

[@EbonySeraphim]

That other nations that follow U.S.'s model for capitalism have been coming out with films that are a harsh critique on capitalism for YEARS says a lot to right-wingers who pretend like capitalism is the best thing ever and can never be replaced by a better way of thinking of society and economics in it. At this point it's laughable to reject the indictment of capitalism that has been around for over 50 years (I'll pretend like MLK was the first undeniable indictor but I'm sure he isn't). When society's film artists paint such a detailed picture, and so many people resonate with its themes, it tells you something clear about what our present day struggle. If not addressed, we are heading towards peril. I love how you point out that Slumdog Millionaire was poverty porn with too uplifting of a message which is what gave it so many wins. But most of the other films with darker endings only got nominations. You got wonderfully further in highlighting what we're celebrating, and not celebrating with each of these films. Hollywood has an interesting relationship with the truth showing up in the film, but who it profits while doing so being entirely opposite so it's a weird dance between these things.

[@kubakornijenko1927]

Well I agree. Sort of. I think that the market should be more free. Without any regulatios. The curent form of Capitalism is realy bad but we should reform it, not destroy it.

[@EbonySeraphim]

@@justanotherguyful yup. You’re a joke of a person who assumed a lot and knew nothing about me. “The truth showing up in film” doesn’t mean I think it is real life. If anything the real world body counts and scale of human suffering is so large you couldn’t even capture it in a film. Even the first game in Squid Game which killed 200+ people brutally was less brutal than the depraved economic and political decisions made under “capitalism.”

[@EbonySeraphim]

@@justanotherguyful - the one who hasn’t attempted to say anything meaningful, yet still speaks. If you’re calling me a kid, and you act less mature than one, what word should be used to describe you?

[@EbonySeraphim]

@@kubakornijenko1927 I can agree to that somewhat in my core. However most who say “reform” are not supportive of the degree and kinds of reform needed to vastly improve lives in society. Even for those who genuinely want the change, but maybe are not informed enough - they’re easily convinced (tricked) that tiny tiny adjustments to the same system are big ones that may substantially address the problem: it doesn’t. So I don’t come at this problem with the idea reform is the answer.

[@m.springs9519]

I totally agree. I live in South Korea. I just do want to say that South Korea is quite capitalist and this show seems to be received as largely entertainment here. Replicated items from the show are being sold or made as a crafts. Kids are wearing the symbols and numbers on their masks as fashion statements. I don't hear a lot of detailed critiques on the system itself (it's likely the friends I have) but, much like other places, there is a lot of exhaustion and being stuck in a system where debt and overworking are the standard. Still, many people buy into the idea to compete and keep up. The exploitation and othering of foreign, non-traditional (s*x workers, I think that's what the rougher woman was), and special needs workers are also appalling too. Again, these are things that often go ignored here. I'm really interested to see where this takes conversations here. So far, most people (and children for some reason) are just happy that it's gone international/viral but I think it will get a lot of necessary conversations going for those interested in seeing the meaning behind it.

[@toomuchsci-fi]

They're usually international movies or shows because it's easier to see it outside of our own situation. Oil! was a book criticizing companies that exploit workers and control the local community, yet when it was made into a movie, there will be blood, that message was basically lost and glorified Daniel Day Lewis' character as the entrepreneur instead

[@thunderbird3304]

Was the message actually lost? By the end of the movie, Daniel is a lonely drunk who has no one left that he can emotionally connect with since he got rid of them when they threaten his business. Besides, There Will Be Blood is more of a prequel to Oil!, focusing more on the father instead of the son in the story

[@toomuchsci-fi]

@@thunderbird3304 I agree that Daniel wasn't in a positive or amazing place at the end, but in comparison to the other characters he was able to get power, control, money. The ending of Oil! Was different than the movie but I don't think the movie was a prequel (it's been about two years since I read it). When I read the book, my takeaway was that he was able to grow his business because of exploiting workers. When reviews of the movie came out most of them seemed to focus on how he was able to be this huge business owner and other themes like religion, but I can't recall any that pointed out it how the movie was critiquing the "American dream" is possible because of how he exploited those working for him and how he controlled certain aspects of the local community

[@cholericqlare]

I caved this weekend because all platforms were awash with so many spoilers and it was hard to get through the TL. Having binged it, I stared at the ceiling in the dark especially after episode 7 (personally, that episode broke me). I agree with you on the appreciation of media in other languages, it's been a long time coming. The globalised flatness that the internet and streaming giants provide have facilitated our shared existences and experiences. Mainstream studio stories about class will always be centered around specific messaging i.e., projection of hope that you could be the one that makes it out and it never displays the harsh elimination of others. The symbolism throughout the entire show was brilliant. I loved how they used bright colours to mask the animalistic depravity and death all, bundled up in childhood games. It makes me question what Gi-Hun's red hair is symbolic of. The blood of others on his head,perhaps?

[@danielaardila5081]

Or maybe a reminder, changes never go unoticed especially for the person that changes.

[@cholericqlare]

@@danielaardila5081 Indeed and it ties in especially with the closing card of the show.

[@din-chan305]

I believe the director shared that it shows his anger and determination to not forget and break the system.

[@mehlover]

I couldn't believe Elon Musk said Parasite was his favorite movie and had to look it up and the audacity of this man. Seriously wtf I don't know if it's possible to enjoy and also understand the message either. And from the Squid Game subreddit, there's a good amount of users who didn't see capitalism as bad. That and a very vocal part of the fandom HATED the VIPs because of how bad their "acting and dialogue" were (but I think it's a bunch of yt, probably middle to upper middle class people hated how the VIPs were represented as Immature man children with too much money. It definitely touched a nerve there. I'm calling that it's yt fragility). Also loved you talked about Lupin! It's so good and needs more love. I don't remember the magic parts in it though. Also gotta check out those other shows too cause they look and sound interesting. I loved seeing you draw the characters from Squid Game, it was very calming.

[@CheyenneLin]

Thank you! I’m glad you liked it :) and haha Lupin doesn’t actually have magic in it (my wording was a bit odd there lol), but I meant it more in that Assane is kind of a magician in that we see how he accomplishes his feats and it’s kind of similar to revealing a magicians secrets (slight of hand, misdirection, etc). The wording was odd there 😅 anyway thanks again for the support! It means a lot ~

[@TheLily97232]

That's my point. Capitalism keeps turning its counters into entertainment to the point that ELON MuSK says it's his fav. Wtf

[@raymonds7492]

What’s wrong with Elon Musk liking parasite? I don’t think he is the type of capitalist most people have a problem with.

[@grungehamster8]

I didn't care for the VIPs either, i understand that their characters are beyond rich and entitled. heck, they don't even regard the non-vips as humans (one of them used a person as a foot rest), but I still found their acting quite odd and annoying. I told myself it was an artistic choice to really make them as vapid and absurd as possible.

[@jackthehat1093]

Capitalist nations have the highest quality of life and lowest levels of poverty so of course it's not bad. The only people who whinge about capitalism are over-privileged westeners who don't know anything about the world and want to be edgy.

[@skristen6152]

The only issue I had with Squid Game is the Disney shit they did, "queerifying the villian." Like Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas, and much more subtle homophobia.

[@manuelhernandez1218]

Wait, what? Who?

[@vibewithprince2467]

definitely the agree the way they portrayed homosexuality in a predatory light, made me super uncomfortable

[@vibewithprince2467]

@@manuelhernandez1218 the vip that wanted a sexual favor from the undercover cop, it was the only queer representation in the series and it was very much predatory/assult

[@skristen6152]

@@manuelhernandez1218 there's a long history of subtle homophobia where they make the villain queer in entertainment industries. Disney has done that a lot, and so did Squid Game. Not that a character can't be queer and a villain, that's not the problem. It's when the entire cast is straight, or perceived to be, except the antagonist is made gay. Considering the wave of homophobia in Korea last year after they claimed gay Korean bars were responsible for covid, this was not needed to say the least.

[@MyssBlewm]

Yeah when I saw that scene I was frustrated that it plays into the "the Gays are sexual predators" trope

[@bebephat]

Great video! I always find it unnerving and disturbing how so many wealthy people are fans of media about poverty. Cognitive dissonance or sheer ignorance is my guess. I'm also glad you touched on the grotesque violence often seen in media about poverty. The fact wealthy people would rather watch poor people fight to the death in fictional universes, than to actually watch real documentaries and help address poverty in real life is beyond upsetting.

[@reneedennis2011]

Great point!

[@cherrysoda3427]

Love the conversation going on here. I came here to add nothing but a funny little anecdote. My mother is an elementary school teacher and she told me that the kids have started playing red light green light at recess. Imagine the teachers suprise with the kids that lost had to play dead 💀

[@giasas]

Very interesting discussion ! I didn't know Elon Musk said Parasite was his favorite movie though.. Can't have shit in America 😩

[@normandy2501]

I mean even if you just watch it on mute and ignore the commentary, the cinematography alone can make a person like the film. Don't see why that means you can't have shit.

[@user-li1hi1ls8r]

omfg that audacity

[@AnaissN]

Elon Musk??? Did he understood the movie? 😬

[@tessarae9127]

So Elon Musk is cool if some friends and I go live in his basement? 😎😎😎

[@tessarae9127]

Where does he live let’s go LOL 😂

[@lucas10armond]

I notice that the only moment in that Sae Byeok seems to talk badly about her life in North Korea and play that obligatory anticomunist moment in this kind of media, she actualy talks about the village epidemic, that relevant because the recently Kim Jong-un came to ask UN for humanitarian help and denounce the US embargos The director did not invent a problem about a country that did not live, so he broght a problem that both countries have in commun, Imperalism

[@ilincabogza]

Also the fact that her father was shot for trying to escape

[@heatweve]

i mean to me felt like reinforcing anticommunism in a way that kinda expects your audience to be just fucking dumb and take whatever you say for granted?? it's so exagerated. but that's just me. i feel like people genuinely believe in that bodies burning bit

[@hurremhightower]

@@heatweve anticommunism doesn’t mean being against a opressive governement so like what

[@yeahmyg]

loved this, i think sangwoo’s character deserves a whole other video. i can talk about him for hours. i definitely agree that he definitely represents how the rich pit the working class against each other. i also recognized him as that person who betrays their own class for gain . a sellout? i dont know. but ive seem this type of person in my real life. i also really love morally ambiguous characters. even though i dont agree with a lot of what he did, his type of character gives way for interesting discussions and it reveals a lot about human nature vs capitalism. a lot of people missed the whole point of squid game and didnt realize it’s a critique of capitalism and attribute it to just human nature. that really bothered me. sangwoo is not my favorite character, but i could definitely discuss him and the controversy around him much more than a lot of the others. ps my favorite is saebyeok

[@Lily-ni5po]

I think there's also been an avoidance of the topic in US media. It might have something to do with the red scare censuring discussions of class in Hollywood films as Marxist propaganda, but there's just not that many movies or shows that are about lower class characters that discuss why poverty is a difficult cycle to break. You have shows like Roseanne and Malcolm in the Middle that did do that, but they kind of stand out because they're a rarity amongst sitcoms. They were also both very successful, probably because there's a public of working and lower-middle class people who are craving these kinds of stories which Hollywood has mostly avoided. So I am not shocked if this public is happy to look elsewhere to find films that touch on class, even if they might not be conscious that that's what they are seeking.

[@miaposamarie226]

The avoidance is mostly due, I think, to the fact our media is owned by billionaire corporations and shareholders who dont want to... Present pesky things like class struggle, unionization, or wealth distribution. Why would they? Capitalism is perfect. Please ignore the misery caused by the lack of universal healthcare, our wage stagnation, the trillion dollar student debt, and the 10 labor strikes happening right now. Those are anomalies. This is fine 🐶 International films get to present these ideas because they are less tied by censorship than we are in terms of class criticism.

[@mattevans6752]

I wasn't planning on renewing my Netflix subscription just to watch Squid Game but alas, I guess I am now. Also, I love your observations here about how internationally popular media is often about class. Also also, I love your art!

[@Emileigggggh]

I also liked Gi-Hun's ending, because it told me that he wants to make the world better so there's no chance of his daughter ending up in a situation like the games. Not to mention that he knows she's being taken care of.

[@mdragon12]

I always thought the parasites in Parasite were the rich people because there are more of the poor than there are rich which means the rich rest upon the work of the poor.

[@brunawhite2686]

I think what's really interesting about Parasite is that the dynamic goes both ways. The Parks leach off of the Kims' work, and they leach off the Parks' wealth.

[@limofootball]

@@brunawhite2686 NO. can't leech off someone if they're underpaying you and despising you. Things can never be "both ways", one of them is always a façade. If the poor leeched off the rich, the rich would just hire someone else or change the system of exploitation. The reason the father kills the boss is bc he finally figured it out, "we don't matter to them".

[@brunawhite2686]

@@limofootball In a general sense, yes! But in the context of the movie, I personally think it goes both ways. If I'm not mistaken, the director himself said it

[@brucesnow7125]

I thought the idea was that the system makes everyone a parasite. Capitalism incentivizes and even necessitates exploitation. The poor were desperately trying to exploit the rich, though with little success because of their lack of privilege. The rich, as you said, literally rest upon the work of the poor.

[@shadowofagod896]

My favourite game has to be the glass game because it is filled with so much meaning not only applying to capitalism but the course of life in general. You start out life on glass tiles not knowing which path will lead to stability or ruin. Each step is literally a gamble for life or death. The ones at the front are most likely to fail as no one has taken that path before while the ones most likely to succeed are the ones at the back whose path was laid out by their fallen predecessors. It perfectly highlights that many of the wealthy today are where they are not inherently due to what they have done, but because of the wealth already accumulated by their predecessors, or by someone's misstep.

[@reneedennis2011]

Good point!

[@SunsetCompass]

I've been slowly realizing how systemic issues affect people between countries too as I've entered adulthood. I live on a "poor" country, getting a job is super hard but not only that, we're paid absolutely nothing compared to other countries. When I heard you earn 7 to 15 dollars per hour on an entry level job in the US I was so amazed, you earn the same amount for a week in the US as you earn here in a *month*. Wages have been something I see people on the US fight over so much, but wow, you are so blessed and you don't even realize it, it doesn't surprise me anymore how many people travel there with the sole purpose of finding a better future. Not only that but I've heard my friends from the US being upset over their house not having a bathtub, or not getting a room with a window, that kind of thing here is a luxury, even certain types of foods are a luxury. It's amazing how desensitized we are to how much class difference there is in the world. Before you criticize someone for looking for a better future, think of why they're doing it, or what they went through in the first place to need to migrate to a better future in a new country.

[@bianca96629]

About villainizing the poor is very interesting how the one that fights in the squid games( the way capitalist presents to you that the fact you are poor is your fault and u should work by any means for money and poor=lazy). So the one that actually plays the games sang-woo is considered a villain but gi-hun(who also cheated the marble games ) is considered a hero bcs he simply got lucky? His kindness protected him bcs plot armour so why do we like gi-hun? Why do we hate sang-woo?

[@bianca96629]

Also gi-hun's kindness of working with the old man and the girl without talking to his team just put Ali's and sang-woo's life in danger constantly

[@MrRmmk1]

I agree with your commentary but I see what you're saying from a different angle. It's not that anyone here is a hero or a villain. At the end of the marble game, 1 person from every couple died and this was by design. It's more about how the system we function under makes us immoral by design. Even with characters that sacrificed themselves like the girl sae byeok played with or sang woo at the end. Their sacrifice was a more ethical decision as they didn't murder (sang woo didn't murder more) but to me it's the fact that their only choice was killing or killing themselves. Further showing that there can't be a hero or villain amongst the participants. They are all operating under an unethical premise, making any of their actions unethical.

[@raymonds7492]

Because gi-hun was kind and looked out for others until he was in a certain life or death situation. sang-woo was always looking out for himself. They both did bad things for sure tho.

[@efrancis5098]

​@@MrRmmk1 You put this into words very well!! "The system we function under makes us immoral by design" is something a lot of people seem to miss, but I haven't been able to explain it properly until I read your comment.

[@MrRmmk1]

@@efrancis5098 I'm glad my commentary was informative :)

[@SpectacularLeigh]

It's fascinating to me how Squid Game works on many different levels. For many it's simply going to be the aesthetic and the concept of battle royale which has become a global gaming sensation. But it's also deeply concerned with it's human characters and their place in society. In my experience there is also a wow factor of Korean films to western audiences. The way that dialogue cuts the bullshit. And many character types they aren't familiar with feels really fresh. Squid Game is perfectly positioned to get worldwide success. Hopefully it means more projects like this can be made.

[@sarahclegg7548]

i watched el hoyo when it first came out knowing nothing about it, and that was truly an experience i will never forget. its up there with squid game for me. if you havent watched it yet and you enjoyed squid game you'll like el hoyo!

[@mariaisabel-rb1gc]

your points about international media really struck with me. i'm brazilian myself and I often underestimate my own culture's media due to biases that were subconciously applied to me. there is a concept called "complexo de vira lata", which translates to "stray dog complex", and it basically symbolises how non english speaking countries (brazil especifically) view the u.s and u.k as perfect, better countries that do media much better. a lot of books I read are in english and sometimes I wonder if my fascination with the language comes from genuine passion or imperialism established through the years

[@connorclose3084]

I was waiting to find this video! I feel like there's been a lack of discussion about how unambiguously this show critiques capitalism, certainly with people I know who have seen this show, but I've even struggled to find other people talking about this online (although maybe I just don't know where to look). Thank you! I will be sharing this video when I struggle to describe what I took away from the show as eloquently as you did.

[@Catladykayla]

This was such a good video! Loved hearing the commentary while I watched your art progression! I went into squid game not knowing anything because my brother wanted to watch it with me and I loved it.

[@chrissycurtis4152]

I must say Netflix are going a good job with their programmes across the world, Sweet Home, Alice In Borderland, The Platform, Squid Game, Girl From Nowhere are all amazing

[@nataliep856]

Finished Squid Game today! Great video, as always

[@ASoggyFrootLoop]

i noticed that the stories that discuss class and do well abroad have to tow a very thin line where they cant be directly anti capitalist or anti american imperialism, i see this a lot with parasite and a brazilian movie called bacuaru. they were both released at mostly the same time but while parasite only gets into class disparities within korea with only subtle mentions of US supremacy bacurau directly presents and criticizes american exeptionalism and imperialism, while they are both amazing movies and got praize in film festivals as bacurau was very direct and unfiltered about it was largely ignored by the mainstream.

[@jvever4904]

Amazing video! One of the most in depth analysis of Squid Games that actually takes into account global issues and factors that go into the series, and why it's impactful. I've heard other takes where the capitalism=bad statment is made, but it's shallow. Your additions of other properties and the globalization of foreign films and series were great. Plus, I liked seeing your Squid Game art!

[@ellem8990]

To be fair, this video was more analyzing how the series was recieved, not as much about the content of the show. So the videos analyzing just the content instead of the outside reaction, aren't wrong (or shallow if their purpose was to talk about the content). I'm glad that there are people talking about capitalism, instead of just the aesthetics and missing the point.

[@LouBird]

Great commentary as usual! And also great artwork!

[@yeahmyg]

havent seen the full video yet but i already know its a banger i love your vids cheyenne!!!

[@TheBlackCloakedMan]

Awesome video. Surprised by the amount of research into not just the history of City of God but also how you manged to nail all the pronunciations. I usually resign myself to cringing through terrible pronunciations lol If I may recommend a Brazilian movie that feels cut out of the same cloth as Squid Game, right down to the scenes with the rich foreigners' imperialism, look up Bacurau. It's really great.

[@anurati2441]

I think she mentioned once that she lived/ lives in Brazil

[@OhSeriously]

Was gonna say, the pronunciation of "Casa 'gi' Papel" made me cringe each time, but then I guess there might be a Brazilian twist to it? I feel like just calling it Money Heist would have been better.

[@CharlotteBradley-ix2ul]

u put ur entire soul into this video omg it’s so good u put everything i’ve felt about these movies into words

[@Clevoliver]

Also props to the makeup and prop designers. I know a lot of media where dystopias or survival scenarios have the character in makeup, but in squid game they made them look miserable. I heard that they handmade the props so that’s really cool

[@cloud3147]

Your videos are always so thoughtful and well made, no matter the topic. Great work as always.

[@criticalthinkingconcubus]

The problem with these tv shows and movies that critique capitalism is that if they’re successful, they’ll be contributing to the very thing they’re critiquing. If they fail, then no one will receive or care about their message. It’s the same with issue political cartoonists who make comics about why phones are bad. Yet, they post them on social media platforms used mainly by smartphone users such as Facebook, Instagram, and various news apps. Also, on the topic of wealthy people not being vilified in media because they’ve “earned their place.” This reminds me of what my mom told me when I asked her why she hates homeless people. “I’m a black woman who grew up dirt poor in a shitty run-down Chicago brownstone in a family of 6 with abusive and neglectful parents, and I still managed to work my ass off to become rich! Homeless people are just lazy and choose to stay poor!” While she did work hard, she was still born with a lot of privileges. For instance, she’s straight, cis-gendered, conventionally attractive, able-bodied, had no chronic illnesses, and is neurotypical. Those aspects alone put her in a higher position than the majority of homeless people. The other thing is her aunt and grandmother raised her more than her birth parents. It was them who had her read complex books during her summer vacations to increase her reading skills. They also taught her life skills such as cooking, ironing, and balancing checkbooks so she could be a functional adult. People also bring up Elon Musk as an example of a college dropout being successful. He dropped out of Harvard because it was too easy, and he was already a thousandaire at 24 thanks to him inventing PayPal. Plus, his parents were a model and an engineer. Even if his businesses failed, he had a pretty secure safety net. Jeff Bezos is used as a poster child for “came from nothing” since he was an immigrant. First of all, he was still a gifted genius who happened to invent the next big thing. Second, he was a white immigrant. I doubt he’d be half as successful as he now if he were a brown/black immigrant. No matter how hard they work, or how poor they grew up, all wealthy people were privileged in one way or another.

[@reneedennis2011]

Excellent points!

[@hanna1463]

putting all these other series/movies on my to-watch list. thank u as always!! your perspectives are so insightful!

[@OcyTaviAh]

Honestly, I did not like Gi Hun. It might be because I am particularly sensitive to shitty parents, and he legitimately did not seem to care about his daughter unless she was right in front of him or he was reminded about her externally. I wasn't surprised when he also abandoned his daughter at the end, because of course what he went through seemed more important to him than his daughter. Basically everything in his life is more important than his daughter. I really wish they hadn't focused on his character, because I knew at the start that he was going to be the winner (it follows such a basic underdog story) and I absolutely could not root for him. He was nice to people, sure, but only when they were right in front of him. His lack of object permanence when it comes to his relationships with other people really bothers me.

[@RandomSkyeRoses]

Once a deadbeat, always a deadbeat

[@shelle6]

interesting video style I really liked it theres something very soothing about watching someone else draw plus listening to educational and interesting topics makes the perfect video at least for me xd

[@DeadInside-ct6dl]

Lemme just say, as an Indian, Slumdog Millionare really bothered me Because that's not how wealth works here. You don't win. At all.

[@e.nataliareyeshdez.3557]

God bless Ali for he deserved everything but got nothing

[@paulscouten1868]

Thought provoking commentary as always! Thank you! (Also interesting to know that you happen to have an interest in creating art! I did NOT know that about you! [not surprising since I only know a what little you have chosen to share on youtube thus far and are undoubtedly a much more complex and unique wonderful individual than what I see here])

[@paccinocappaccino]

The fact that I paused your video to go on Netflix to watch El Hoyo.

[@juliobrian4757]

"Cidade de Deus" - City of God is a LEGENDARY Movie. I remember watching it back in 2006 and was promptly BLOWN AWAY!

[@reneedennis2011]

That was my reaction, too!

[@vicpls5]

great video! i also think that class struggles as a sistemic problem (and not a more individual issue) is rarer to find in american media, specially in a modern setting (instead of a distopia/period films), so people find those themes elsewhere.

[@FeelKarmatic]

Brilliant video, one of the most interesting takes I've heard about Squid Game. loved how you connected it to other series!

[@mrahim1342]

Great video you made me consider elements I hadn’t thought of before

[@samhill618]

Better question; why aren't there more American movies critical of class, as opposed to only about the upper class, or the lower class as though they are unrelated. Sorry I know i should have to wait until I finished Squid Games to write this post since I don't have the full context of your essay.

[@cholericqlare]

I'd argue that it's absent so that audiences are consistently sold the myth of the 'American dream' to feed the insatiable beast of capitalism and corrupt the general public to participate in its divisiveness. Immigrants who came from 'have nothing' can become a part of the 'haves' while ignoring all the systemic upheavals and cultural shedding that must exist for that to happen, one generation at a time.

[@normandy2501]

@@cholericqlare That and there might not have been enough film makers interested in making them often, because it's not like class hasn't been touched on in any past movies. It just wasn't the entire plot of the movie. I wouldn't be surprised if more started popping up just to capitalize (ironically) on the hype train alone. It could be no different than the regular patriotic war movies if given long enough.

[@NoName-dx1no]

@@normandy2501 it could be more about not being able to get funds or have studios that would agree to make films like that even squid game took nearly 10 years to finally be released due to many studios thinking it wouldn’t be success

[@brunawhite2686]

Even though I'm not American, I'd bet that it's because Americans (and most wealthier people, regardless of nationality) are scared of capitalism losing power. And for those who rebel against it, they are shamed and called stupid. I have a feeling that if an American director made a movie as bleak as Squid Game was, critiquing capitalism and class, they'd lose credibility and be called a commie.

[@sydneydunaway5618]

hunger games is the most obvious example. suzanne collins's gregor the overlander series also had some interesting commentary on colonization in the final books. I hope she writes more stuff and people don't write her off just because it's mostly ya

[@sylvia5400]

You are a very talented artist ! It inspires me to draw some of my faves from Squid game 😌

[@Yukosan13]

20:10 the thought that the rich get ahead is soo true.. even in middle class.. my cousin was a college dropout but his dad's grandfather who was wealthy gave him a large loan so my cousin could start his own company.. now my family calls that cousin, mr. Monopoly (but he always acts like he never got help.. that he did it because of hard work.. but let's face the truth.. he got a step ahead )

[@verskarton]

Hearing your observations about Non English Netflix series about class becoming populair is really interesting. But it also reminded me of an Dutch Netflix show called Ares that really missed the mark. Sad because it could have had potential if it lacked the supernatural aspects.

[@MontyDatta]

I would recommend to check out the Mexican film about class also New Order. It got some controversy so it didn't get as much popular but it is a grim movie

[@Eve.v]

well dang im really glad you decided to make this video since it was so experimental for your channel !! i read a review of this show yesterday so when i got recommended this i was interested in hearing a take on it through a Video Essay, not a tv critic writing for a newspaper, so i impulse clicked -- only to be like, oh shit !! i have like 2 or 3 of this person's videos in my watch later!!! which i never check lol ! so now im excited to binge your content because this was a really nuanced and surprisingly deep dive into underlying concepts through a unique lens ! im pumped

[@mackerelphones]

The strangest thing about Squid Game is that almost nobody mentions that it is almost exactly the same as the 2018 Chinese movie Animal World: to pay for his mother's medical bills, an impoverished man enters a life-or-death children's game competition hosted at sea by mysterious gangsters for the amusement of English-speaking foreign rich people Squid Game is much better though

[@JazzySaint]

Finally got around to listening to this video - really appreciated it! I was really excited to listen to this video because I had also noticed how Squid Game and Parasite both blew up, and were both South Korean media about class... now I'm seeing that a lot of the international films that blow up (i.e., Slumdog Millionaire, as you mentioned) or win awards (i.e., Tsotsi, one of the few African films I can think of that won an Oscar) have to do with class and poverty... I think you explained the "why" behind that very well! (even though I also don't know what we're meant to do about that, because it definitely feels exploitative...)

[@nzoghepierre-kamille8494]

Good morning/ Good evening! It's a new video. Than to watch! I find your software nice! Good continuation!

[@fayelawless2625]

I like your art Cheyenne!! :D

[@ariellagreenberg9932]

My biggest crit of squid game is that the Korean police are framed as good guys against the vips and leaders of the game ( jun ho came in to “ save the day” and at the end the police were the ones who helped to stop the homeless man in the cold) when in reality they are tools of the state to maintain class hierarchy and further divide the poor

[@v.anessa1451]

i disagree, it was actually that person who saved the man, had they not called them, the police wouldnt have done it on their own. jun-ho was a cop, but at the end of the day, he did everything alone and didnt stop anything or save anyone. he was in it for personal reasons

[@dollgraves]

Great job, Cheyenne!

[@seokjinnie2]

amazing video again cheyenne! been wanting someone to talk about this topic

[@IRoYzI]

This was phenomenal. Audio sounds great too. Thank you for this, I saw the post about squid game but was not expecting such a deep meditation on, seemingly increasingly numerous, class conflicts in international media. Ngl, I've avoided some of these shows because of the language barriers but the general throughline you've presented gives me a renewed interest in them all. Having watched Squid Game my chief take aways were simply "Damn, Capitalism Sucks....everywhere." I feel as though there is a great deal of sensationalism and fanfare within it's contents that firmly set the motivations of both the plot and characters in the background. That, also paired with its episodic delivery, diluted its more poignant messages about wealth and class imo. However, placing it within this context in comparison to other deliberations on class struggles internationally does help to center what may have been lost here and there for me.

[@immortan-valkyrie90]

Yooooo! The Platform was fucking baller. I need to implement into my syllabus next semester

[@Aaarandom]

So… I read the title as “fascination with glass” and waited this whole time for glass to be more than mentioned 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ great video tho 🥰

[@margaretbearden7273]

Love your perspective!

[@grapeshot]

So many death games in Japan and apparently there is quite a few in South Korea too.

[@janaekelis]

i wonder whats the fascination with death games? like Saw as well. the first death games i saw was Battle Royale (Japan) and Danganronpa franchise (also Japan) ive also found huge lists of "elimination" by death popularly being used in east asian media 😳

[@swampthing236]

Liked the new style but i certainly miss seeing youuu lol

[@Beesativity]

Great artwork, great theme... you're a treasure 😄. I'm going to try to find a way to watch Squid Game now.

[@superquietbunny]

Nice touch talking over your WIP fanart poster for squid game. Loved the touch of the pink ribbon at yhe background. I love how Squid Game may potentially bring more audiences to South Korean media because they truly deserve it. For me, Squid Game is an average k drama but it works to make people more curious for more Kdrama, it has a very mass appeal (unlike Parasite which was more artful). It has all elements of Kdrama plus the commentary on social class, ambigious morality, and it's more hopeful in the end. I found that I couldnt hate Sang woo in the end. He feels very much the representative of what an elite might do in that situation. He's caught between his grassroots family and the elite class he worked hard towards. It brought an interesting and vital touch to the story

[@octag0nist]

It was really satisfying listening to someone actually talk about the way that being a korean made series impacted the themes and references being made. I think for me more interesting than the themes of capitalism were the themes of imperialism, and the impacts its had. Like the fact that Seong Gi-hun's daughter is being taken to america and his mother begins crying that she'll lose her ability to speak korean. Or the way all the VIP's watching the games are european. I think it's interesting that the characters most responsible for the logistics of the game are both south korean, and also both people who participate, or have participated, in the games. Something Something, even though they're the upper class in a way they're still being played, something something the way colonizations mindset has allowed people in colonized countries to oppress each other For someone else's benefit/enjoyment idk not a fully formed thought yet but. Yeah this was an amazing essay to listen to thank you for sharing

[@Amayram21]

I also think it appeals so many Americans especially cause it’s a huge topic of discussion in this country right now and how many people talk about how we’re in Late Stage Capitalism cause it has failed us more than ever. People really want to see that talked about in media but sadly Hollywood could care less about the rest of us. So we look to foreign films to represent that issue or that foreign are more likely to be able to represent that issue and take risks. Either way now I wanna get more into foreign media cause other than anime I don’t watch any foreign films/shows so I have a very limited perspective on this topic. Also that drawing is sooo good I didn’t even know you were an artist

[@somewherelongago]

I dont think that's necessarily true. Although not a significant sum, but Hollywood has had plenty of class struggle films before, from both studio to independently produced works. Despite not always being radical in there messagings as Sorry to Bother You (but then again even these films in the video can't), there're still works that depicts the destructive forces of capitalism such as The Big Short, Dark Waters, and more recently Bad Education; works that center around working class characters as it pertains to other intersectional issues like Moonlight, The Florida Project, The Immigrant; and even popular studio films such as Knives Out, Us, and Judas and The Black Messiah (and I'm really just trying to name out some of the more recent ones here). The problem isn't that America lacks class-based films, it's that Americans lack class consciousness in their film viewing experience in general. Marxist film theory as a discipline has never really take. hold of the public discourse despite being immensely popular in academia. We often tend to forget that people like Charlie Chaplin, Warren Beaty, and Jane Fonda were once devoted socialists and that many of the Hoywood films we watch tend to have a heavy anti-capitalistic bent to them either intentionally or not (movies like The Godfather, They Live, Robocop, The Matrix) because of such absence in the public discourse. It's also the case that there isn't just one type of class-centered films. The premise of the video that there's suddenly an interest in foreign films about class by Americans is really misleading, and moreover hampered by its inability to draw the links between the aesthetic analysis section to rest of the video. There isn't such a thing as a "global fascination with class depictions", but rather a "global fascination TO A CERTAIN TYPE of class depictions." More primarily the entertaining kind that makes it extremely easy to commercialized upon. There're about 5 other non-English class struggle films this year I can name that I find to be miles more efficient and nuanced critiques of capitalism than Squid Game which I know will either never see the light of day in an U.S theater or be lost amongst Prime Video catalog. Now, foreign film distribution in the U.S is a complicated problem and I really dont have the required knowledge to go into the depths of Korea long economic history that'll therefore explain their successeful entrance into the U.S entertainment industry, but the gist of what I'm trying to say is that there are a bout a handful of noticeable class-based foreign films made every year that never gain any success in the U.S because of their appeals to a certain niche crowd due to their often experimental artistic expressions. Squid Game, however, is accessible, which makes it marketable to a wide audience, and therefore commercializable by big industries. Ultimately, class-centered films exist in Hollywood. They have always exist. They exists on every liberal democracy (and even most authotarian states) with a decent enough film industry. What the general audience want, however, isn't "class films" but rather "class entertainment".

[@somewherelongago]

Sorry for my incoherent rambling, I initially only wanted to recommend checking out Sorry to Bother You and I have no idea what ended up taken over me lol.

[@marmag4976]

Random fun (?) fact for anyone who wants it! For some reason the writers of La Casa de Papel chose Dali (the artist guy with the weird mustache) as the symbol of the band, which is pretty weird if we take into account what the band stands for and the fact that Dali was a well-known supporter of the fascist Spanish dictator Franco. It surprised me they chose Dali the first time I watched the show and I still have no idea why they did it to this day

[@SailorCutie]

i think its easy to say that sang-woo is evil but i dont rly see it like that. i think the 1-456 are all supposed to represent the working class in a capitalist system. and while gi-hun feels like people should work together (class solidarity), sang-woo is someone who tries to work his way up the ladder by using others as stepping stones. i think its an interesting observation about how working class people are put in the position where they need to compete with eachother to earn a living (or to see who lives and who dies). i dont want to come across as a sang-woo apologist (im sure thats a thing) but the system is the bigger problem. and calling characters evil is such a shame bc it kinda stops the conversation there. anyway i hope this made sense, ive been doing coursework all day and my brain is fried

[@animalmaster6992]

Amazing video, as always! Another piece of Brazilian media that really has gained a lot of attention recently and that relates to most of the points of the video is "Bacurau", it also tackles class, but especially USA imperialism and how local elites of less development countries tend to destroy their national autonomy for the good of central capitalism, something very present in Brazil history in the military dictatorship in 1964 and the coup d'état in 2016, both helped by the USA. The amount of people, Brazilian or not, that didn't get the movie's message is an example of how hard can it be to portray more complex ideas, in this case USA imperialism.

[@CaseyHarMegiddo]

My fiance and I watched Squid Game over the weekend. Probably the best show I've ever seen, and it was heart wrenching. The marbles episode had me absolutely sobbing, I almost didn't want to keep watching. I'm excited for the future of Korean media, it looks super promising and maybe the popularity of Squid Game and other critiques of capitalism will actually make class struggle a more center-stage issue.

[@justjanies]

I love this new video!! So pleasing to watch

[@Crow0567]

11:55 Something I feel the need to point out is that the title was changed to The Platform rather than The Hole in its English release. I'm too tired to really analyze that very much rn, but it probably reflects something about what people of different audiences, cultures, and ideologies focus on.

[@HickaruFire]

Here in Argentina everyone is talking about Squid Game. And as far as everyone says, they would participate in the game. We all know someone who's just like the characters. Maybe not so potent as coming from North Corea, but most of us are from European grandparents who came running from war. We also have a lot of people comming from Venezuela and starting over with underpaid jobs. It's kinda funny how all the wrongs that we see everyday are shown in a series from across the world. It shows that humans are always the same. On that note there's also a series that comes from my country. I don't know if it's available in english but i know it's on netflix, it's called "El Marginal". It's about some people on jail, how they got there and what they do to survive inside and once they get out. I should warry everyone that even if you know spanish, they speak how the lower class pleople does and you might not get a single word.

[@brie2191]

amazing film analysis 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@Janiyahdes]

I appreciate all your videos

[@marmag4976]

I've not finished watching the video but I want to comment on something you just said because then I always forget lol. You just mentioned how media critizicing capitalism being given academy awards can lead to dissonance or tokenization. I fully agree with this and I think it's such an interesting thing. There are so many shows that critique capitalism that are made by Netflix, one of the richest international companies nowadays, and people watching these shows just increments the wealth of Netflix and its associated parties etc etc basically big contributors of capitalism. Not only through watching, but also Netflix makes merchandising of these shows and benefits from it too (i saw that amazon is selling the squid game tracksuits for like 50 dollars or something). Like this media is created by capitalism and made popular by capitalism! The media that critics capitalism benefits capitalism! And at the end of the day it feels like the message that it was suppossed to deliver falls flat because of this. And then the Oscars or whatever rich person comes and says "oh i loved this piece of media!" and it's the same thing all over again (although i do have to say that when elon musk or whoever says how much they love parasite or something like that it isn't just that they didn't understand the show or "haha these silly millionaires" or whatever, they're rubbing it in all our faces that they do know what that media meant but they don't care because we can't do anything to change that, they're rubbing their power in everyone's face). As you said the Oscars are a very local contest and from time to time they give awards to media that they usually don't award and it feels like they are just tokenazing it. We give so much importance to these awards but we all know behind them there's all this inequality and discrimination. But we still look up to them and praise them when they award media that criticizes the very same thing that they represent. All of it is so sad and so ironic

[@EquityDrB]

I love your analysis & systems thinking!

[@violet-gaze]

this is such an interesting video, and it's only a small detail but I wanted to say I totally agree with you on Berlin being depicted as a "good guy" when he is absolutely not. the series seems to do everything possible to make us forget he literally r*ped a woman in the first season

[@drawingsticks5333]

Clearly the series was written by Palermo /jk

[@janibii_608]

Honestly the only thing i disliked about squid game was the ending. I feel it would have been more satisfying if Seong Gi Hoon had helped the homeless guy to prove the old man wrong instead of some random passerby. I feel that this would then make Seong Gi Hoon leaving the plane to end the squid game make more sense for his character